Carra Patterson and Paul Giamatti are also in the cast, playing Tomica Woods, Eazy-E's widow (who inherited his share of N.W.A. song rights, and is also a producer on the film), and Jerry Heller, manager of the group.

The drama is produced by original N.W.A. members Ice Cube and Dr. Dre, who are joined by fellow producers Matt Alvarez and Tomica Woods-Wright. Will Packer serves as executive producer of the film alongside Gray.

Originally set up at New Line, Universal picked up the project in turnaround, with F. Gary Gray attached to direct. John Singleton was, at one time, interested in the job.

The upcoming film, which follows the group as they emerge from the streets of Compton, California in the mid-1980s, to go onto revolutionize pop culture with their music, is set for a release next year in August, 2015.